"This 13-year-old girl was telling me this weekend how much she loves Grey's Anatomy, and I was like, do you realize you were a 1-year-old when we started the show? It’s been that long since it’s been on the air," Heigl recalled. "It changed the course of my life and my career, and I couldn't be more grateful. I just hope it goes for as long as they all want it to."

Check out the video above for more from Heigl on Dempsey's departure from the popular show.